An Insider’s View of Russia’s Great Cities

This indispensable introduction to some of Russia’s great cities gives an insider’s view of the real Russia, spotlighting not only the glittering palaces and dignified official edifices of the Russian Empire, but also a birch bark crafts class in historic Novgorod and the unforgettable warmth of a meal in a Russian home.

Wander the halls of one of the world’s great museums

St. Petersburg, Russia

Tour the Usupoff Palace, where Rasputin spent his last eveningThe Usupoff Palace's interior boasts a marble staircase, crystal chandeliers, gilded candelabras and magnificently painted ceilings; this is where the plot to...

Tour the Usupoff Palace, where Rasputin spent his last evening

St. Petersburg, Russia

Tour the Usupoff Palace, whose interior boasts a marble staircase, crystal chandeliers, gilded candelabras and magnificently painted ceilings; this is where the plot to assassinate Rasputin came to fruition.

Attend a performance at a renowned St. Petersburg theaterEnjoy a memorable ballet or opera performance at one of the renowned theaters of St. Petersburg, where some of the world’s finest dancers, composers...

Day 4: Klin, Tver, Novgorod

Drive out to Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s estate in Klin, where the composer spent the last year of his life. Enjoy a short concert at the estate, then continue on to Tver, the city that Catherine the Great redesigned after it burnt to the ground. Next is Veliky Novgorod (Novgorod the Great), one of Russia’s most ancient cities. Explore its UNESCO-listed kremlin, the medieval market stalls of Yaroslav’s Court and the 11th century St. Sophia Cathedral. Learn from a master craftsman at a hands-on class on traditional Novgorod birch bark crafts.

Days 5-10: St. Petersburg

Drive to St. Petersburg; designed by the best architects and built by the best artisans of the era, St. Petersburg’s architecture displays a rare harmony. Observe the lifestyles of the czars at Catherine’s Palace, with its brilliant blue exterior and carved and gilded interior. Admire the golden gravity-fed fountains at Peterhof. Explore the elegant Usupoff Palace with its jewel-box theater and spend a morning at the world-class Hermitage Museum. The museum survived the ravages of World War II, with most of its enormous collection protected in the basement storage vaults or hidden in cellars throughout the city. Take a stroll along broad Nevsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg’s main street, and enjoy a romantic evening at one of the city’s sophisticated theaters.

Highlights

Historic city center of St. Petersburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Imperial Porcelain Museum and Factory, where the czars’ dishware was made

Iconic Church of the Savior on the Blood, with its blue, green and gold cupolas

Peter and Paul Fortress, the earliest structure in St. Petersburg

Usupoff Palace, where the plot against Rasputin came to fruition

The incredible Hermitage Museum

Peter the Great’s estate on the Gulf of Finland, Peterhof, with its famous fountains and gardens

Group Size

What’s Included

On Your Tour

9 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners per the itinerary. A few lunches and dinners are not included so that you may enjoy a chance to experiment on your own.

Restaurant tips for included meals.

For groups of four or more travelers, services of an experienced, English-speaking MIR Tour Manager with local guides at specific sites.

Arrival/departure transfers. MIR will arrange for all travelers to be met upon arrival and transferred to the airport on departure whether we make your airfare arrangements or not, provided you arrive and depart on the tour start/end dates in the tour start/end cities.

Transportation throughout itinerary by private coach, van, or car (type of vehicle depends on group size).

Guided sightseeing tours and entrance fees as outlined in itinerary.

Special events, excursions and cultural performances per the itinerary.

Travel Insurance

Stay a Little Longer…

MIR can arrange an extended program in St. Petersburg, Moscow, the Baltics or Central Europe before or after your tour. All of MIR’s destinations are open to you, and all can be attached to this program. Please contact MIR for more details about exciting options for extended travel.

Is this Trip Right for You?

While the accommodations we utilize are superior tourist class, please keep in mind that some aspects of the tourism infrastructure in Russia are not up to the standards North American travelers expect. Services are improving in the region; however you may encounter problems with bureaucratic service, road conditions and availability and quality of public restrooms.

Read our Travel Journals

Join veteran MIR client Moonyeen Albrecht on a cruise from Moscow through some of Russia's lesser-known Volga River towns, while attending performances of the world-famous Russian National Orchestra.... Read More

From November 13-20, 2011, three MIR colleagues - Jenelle Birnbaum, Liz Tollefson and Meaghan Samuels - traveled to St. Petersburg in order to try out a new Custom Group trip, a week-long seminar with an in-depth look at St. Petersburg's illustrious literary and arts traditions, momentous history and inspired culture.... Read More

MIR in the News

MIR’s one-of-a-kind exploration of the Russian space program has gotten a starring role in several media outlets recently, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, leading Spanish-language travel magazine Conocedores, the Mat... Read More

Luxury Travel Advisor, a leading publication covering “the latest news and trends in luxury travel,” advises adding MIR’s new small group journey From the Heavenly Tien Shan to the High Pamirs to your 2019 bucket list. ... Read More

From the Blog

Uzbekistan is already extremely appealing, with its domed mosques and madrassahs clad in vivid ceramic tiles, and with the endemic hospitality of its culture. But now, after a first-ever International Tourism Forum, Uzbekista... Read More

Marisa Dodd, Assistant Tour Specialist at MIR, recently returned from her first trip to Uzbekistan – a country she had long dreamt of visiting. Her experience made a lasting impression. She was surprised to discover how smo... Read More

Search the Blog

Traveler Reviews

“We don’t know where to start – a perfect itinerary which satisfied all of our needs, excellent accommodations superbly located, flawless execution of all aspects including visas, vouchers, theatre tickets, etc., and last but certainly not least, truly outstanding and professional guides and drivers. We only wish that MIR provided tours everywhere, in which case we would never use another tour company again. MIR Office in Seattle was outstanding. We have already told several friends about MIR and how wonderful they are! You all put together a trip for us that was perfect for our budget, time frame and interests. Russia is a fabulous destination – wonderful history, magnificent sites. We can’t say enough about MIR and Russia.”- The Repkos - Princeton, NJ